Electbic



May 30, 1933. J. RAH

' CONDUCTOR DISCONNECTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1925 May 30, 1933.

J. RAH 1,911,647

CONDUCTOR DI SCONNECTER Filed May 20, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [2062223 Joaepiz Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH RAH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO 'G. & W. ELECTRIC SPECIALTY 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CONDUCTOR DISCONNECTER Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to a single conductor disconnecter.

One object of the invention is to provide simple, reliable and efficient means for electrically connecting and disconnecting electrical conductors in a manner insuring good electrical contact between the conductors and whichpermits of ready disconnection of said conductors.

Another object is to provide a disconnecter in which the main contact parts are positively locked against accidental disconnection and which may be readily disconnected when it is desired.

Another object is to provide an electrical disconnecter for electrical conductors of the pothead type, in which the parts cooperate in a new and improved manner to produce eflicient results and whereby burning of the main contacts is avoided.

Another object is to provide a device of the class described which is safe to handle and adapted to meet all of the requirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangements disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, some of the parts being shown in elevation, of a disconnecter embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, showing a dummy receiving cap partly in section for receiving the removable contact and the electrical connecter;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the arrange ment shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification of the invention, in which the main pothead and dummy are aligned one in front of the other instead of alongside of each other in the sense shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the arrange ment shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of the arrange ments shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of an arrangement show- 1925. Serial No. 31,538.

ing a further modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim. Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that my invention is illustrated in connection with the pothead type of electrical disconnecter in which there is provided a porcelain bushing 10 and a removably associated corrugated porcelain handle 11. Carried by the porcelain bushing 10 is a contact member 12, the upper end of which may be connected to an aerial cable in any usual manner. The contact member 12 is secured in the bushing 10 between a shoulder 13 on the bushing and the top of said contact member, an enlarged portion 14; of the contact member 12 having padded engagement with the shoulder 13, and being clamped thereto by a nut 15 threaded onto the upper end of the contact member 12, a suitable gasket 16 being interposed between the top of the bushing 10 and a cap 17 upon which the nut 15 bears. The contact member 12 has a guide socket 18 for the reception of a combined guide plug and an auxiliary arcing contact 19 which forms a part of the electrical connecter 20, the latter of which is mounted in and carried by the porcelain handle 11. Cemented in the upper end of the porcelain handle 11 is an electrical contact member 21 in the form of a nut and havinga'fluted portion 22 set in the cement. This contact member 21 has an internally threaded portion 23 which is adapted to screw onto an externally threaded portion 24 of the contact member 12 so that said contact members 21 and 12 normally will be interlocked with respect to each other to prevent accidental electrical disconnection of the parts. The electrical connecter member 20 intermediate its ends has a collar 25 which is clamped between the contact members 21 and 12 when said contact members are interlocked as here inabove described. The main electrical contact is made at said collar 25 and between the latter and said contact members 21 and 12. The electrical connector 20, the lower end of which may be secured to a ground cable in any usual manner, is loosely mounted within the porcelain handle 11, so that rotation of the latter in making the electrical connection and disconnection will not cause a twisting of the connector member 20. In this connection it will be noted that a collar 26 secured to the connecter 20 by pin 27, but said collar loosely associated with the lower end of the porcelain handle 11.

As shown in Fig. 1, there is an electrical connect-ion between the connecter 20 and contact members 21 and 12. Said contact members 21 and 12 are positively locked with respect to each other as a result of their threaded engagement, and the collar of the electrical connecter 20 is positively clamped between said contact members for making a good electrical connection. It will be understood that the guide plug 19 in cooperating with the guide socket 18 directs the threaded portion of contact member 21 into engagement with the threaded portion of the contact member 12. If it desired to electrically disconnect the parts, the porcelain handle 11 may be rotated in the proper direction for unscrewing the contact member 21 with respect to the contact member 12, and lowering said porcelain handle 1. resulting in a separation at the collar 25 and the contact member 12. However, at the time of said separation there is no arcing between said parts because the circuit is still maintained between the contact member 12 and the guide plug 19. Upon fur ther withdrawal movementthe circuit broken between the said contact member 12 and the contact plug 19, and, if any arcing occurs, it will be between said contact member 12 and plug 19.

Upon withdrawing the electrical connecter 20 and its associated contact 21 some means should be provided for protecting one working with said parts. Accordingly a dummy cap or supporting member 28 is provided, said dummy cap 28 carrying a member 29 having a socket portion 30 for receiving the plug 19, and having a threaded portion 31 for receiving the threaded contact nut 21, whereby the connecter 20 and said contact 21 may be covered within the lummy cap 28 and supported in the pro tected position. The porcelain bushing 10 and the dummy ap 28 preferably are carried by and cemented in the same bracket 32, which is attached to a pole 33 or other support by clamps 34:.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6 the porcelain bushing 10 and dummy cap 28 are carried by and cemented in a similar attaching bracket 85, but this bracket provides for a dillerent alignment of said bushing 10 and dummy cap 28 so that the dummy cap 28 is located further away from the pole than the bushing 10; otherwise the parts are the same as described in connection with Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

A modification is shown in Fig. 7, in which the electrical connecter 20, instead of having one collar 25 as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with two spaced contact collars 36 and 37, one contact collar 36 being in electrical engagement with contact 21, and the other contact collar 37 being in electrical engagement with the contact member 12.

There may be various other modifications of the invention, and it is my intention to cover all such modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, the combination of a supporting bushing having a recess therein, a contact member fixedly carried by said bushing and having a locking portion disposed in said recess, a second contact member for cooperative electrical connection with said first named contact member and carried by an insulatim handle. a locking member fixedly carried by said handle and cooperating with said first named contact member, said locking member and a portion of said handle fitting within said recess, said locking mem ber cooperating with said locking portion to maintain said contact members in electrical connection.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 18 day of May, 1925.

JOSEPH RAH. 

